Test previews / Ed Hawkins / 19 March 2010 /

There will be no blaring music or dancing girls in Mirpur as Bangladesh and England compete with the IPL, but there remains enough value in the markets to give you an interest in the last Test of the series. Ed Hawkins finds it for you.

Team news
Ordinarily with a team going into the final Test of a series a game to the good we would be discussing with relish their balance; seven batsmen and four bowlers or should they squeeze in an extra bowler?

In the case of England against Bangladesh, which starts early Saturday morning in Mirpur, the debate is irrelevant. England would win this second Test in Chittagong even if they had agreed from a request from Jimmy Saville to fix it for an 11-year-old from Crawley to make his Test debut.

In the event, England are likely to be unchanged from the XI that enjoyed so much the 181-run victory in game one that they made it last as long as possible. James Tredwell, the second spinner, misses out again.

Bangladesh at least took comfort from the performances of Junaid Siddique, who hit a fine century in the last innings, and the grit and guile of wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim. Rahim's 174 runs in the Test took him to the top of Bangladesh's run charts.

Pitch conditions
The Shere Bangla National stadium has hosted five Tests, four of them producing results. But those praying for a surface which distracts cricket fans from the glitz and glamour of the IPL are likely to be disappointed.

This is another flat track with India amassing 544 there at the start of the year. The average first-innings score for the visiting side is 375, which is surprisingly low. South Africa, in 2008, had a wobble against Shahadat Hossain, who took six wickets. They recovered to win, though.

England are as short as [1.75] for 525 runs or more. They are [3.00] for 600 or more. Bangladesh, who have passed 200 only once in five first-innings attempts, might be worth taking on at [1.98] to fail for a fifth time.

Match odds

England are [1.34] for victory and if you have a spare couple of grand stashed under the mattress you could do far worse than stick it on Alastair Cook's side. It is probable that once the first session is out of the way, the tourists' price will be a dot in the distance.

Bangladesh are an irrelevant [15.00]. Their bowling is not up to the standard of county cricket and cannot hope to take 20 wickets. The draw, a slim hope of respectability for the hosts at [5.10], needs the weather to help out. No rain is forecast.

Top batsman
You pays your money you takes your choice. The England top-bat market is tough to call given that strong cases can be made for Cook, [4.30], and Paul Collingwood, [6.20], who both got centuries in Chittagong, and Pietersen [4.70], and Ian Bell, [5.50], who really should have done. Any Other Batsman, which includes opener Michael Carberry and Matt Prior, might appeal at [5.30].

Rahim and Siddique are Bangladesh's form men at [4.40] (Any Other Batsman) and [6.00] respectively. There is some noteworthy ground form to be aware, though. Opener Tamim Iqbal, who is [4.10], hit 151 against India in January while [7.00] shot Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh skipper, has twice top scored in the first dig and struck 96 against Sri Lanka two years ago. Mahmudullah also has runs, an unbeaten 96 against India, and he could appeal at [8.00].

Featured market
England were criticised for a lack of a killer instinct in the first match and it is possible they will be more gung-ho this time around. The Test Match End market offers some value in this regard. In the five Tests played at this ground, only two have made it to the fifth day and one of those, a draw, was by default after the first three days were washed out by rain.

There have been results by day four afternoon [6.20] and day four morning [8.00]. A day three finish, a repeat of the first Test played there, is [4.10].

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